State & Local Government

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee voters OK constitutional amendment enshrining merit selection for appellate judges. The constitution has said that Supreme Court justices “shall be elected by the qualified voters of the state.” But since 1994, they have been appointed by the governor. Voters then decide whether to keep or replace them in uncontested retention …

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Voters have approved a change to the Tennessee Constitution that would prohibit lawmakers from imposing a state income tax. The last serious attempt to impose a state income tax failed in 2002 amid raucous Capitol protests that included a brick thrown through the window of the governor’s office. The public backlash …

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Voters approve constitutional amendment allowing charitable gaming fundraisers for veteran groups . A 2002 constitutional amendment that created a state lottery for college scholarships dictated which groups could hold raffles and cakewalks. Nonprofit groups categorized as 501(c)(3)s under the U.S. tax code were in. But veterans’ groups, which are 501(c)(19)s, were …

Travis Loller, Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — With nearly all precincts reporting, support for all four constitutional amendments on the Tennessee ballot was outstripping opposition. The most hard-fought of all the amendments was also the closest, with about 54 percent of voters supporting a change to the Tennessee Constitution that would give lawmakers more …

Lenda Sherrell conceded defeat in her loss against Republican Scott DesJarlais for U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday night during her post-campaign celebration at Mayday Brewery in Murfreesboro. Sherrell, a Monteagle native, lost District Four to DeJarlais, who took 58 percent of the vote. “If this campaign has taught Washington anything tonight, it is that talking …

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A referendum on the Tennessee ballot for supermarket wine sales was outstripping opposition in early voting returns Tuesday night. Seventy-eight municipalities collected enough signatures to place the referendum on the ballot. Of those, voters in more than 60 communities were voting in favor of the referendum, according to early election returns. No …